..Overall, valproic acid appears to have limited efficacy as monotherapy in many patients with dementia. Its optimal role may be in combination with other psychotropics as a treatment of agitation associated with dementia...

..Secondary aims included examining: 1) if differences in CV medication prescribing existed between admission and discharge and 2) if differences in CV medication prescribing existed between patients with and without dementia...

..To examine the dosing of memantine in patients with dementia admitted to an inpatient geriatric psychiatry ward and review the published literature regarding the pharmacologic and clinical need to dose adjust memantine...

..Adverse events occurred in 25% of patients. This case series suggests that low-dose divalproex may offer behavioral improvement and a reduced risk of side effects for some patients with agitation in Alzheimer's disease...

Pharmacological and clinical profile of newer antidepressants: implications for the treatment of elderly patients

Christian DolderWingate University School of Pharmacy, North Carolina 28174, USADrugs Aging 27:625-40. 2010

..Conclusions regarding desvenlafaxine cannot be made at this time because of a lack of geriatric-specific data...

..This study aimed to prospectively identify the best single predictor and the best set of predictors of risk for nonadherence with anti-psychotic medication in the treatment of patients with schizophrenia...

Atypical antipsychotics in elderly patients with dementia or schizophrenia: review of recent literature

..Additional large-scale, well-controlled studies are needed before conclusive statements regarding the value of treatment of psychosis and agitation with atypical antipsychotics and non-antipsychotic agents can be made...

Prevalence of and risk factors for medication nonadherence in patients with schizophrenia: a comprehensive review of recent literature

..Among patients at a very high risk for worsening tardive dyskinesia, the use of atypical antipsychotics was associated with a significantly lower risk of developing definitive tardive dyskinesia compared with conventional antipsychotics...

Cognitive predictors of medication adherence among middle-aged and older outpatients with schizophrenia

..The authors' goal was to evaluate the relationship between adherence to treatment with antipsychotic medication and health expenditures. A secondary objective was to identify risk factors predictive of nonadherence...

..The purpose of this study was to develop and test a brief scale (Brief Evaluation of Medication Influences and Beliefs [BEMIB]) designed to identify patients who are more likely to be nonadherent to their antipsychotic medication...

Antihypertensive medication adherence and blood pressure control in patients with psychotic disorders compared to persons without psychiatric illness

Christian R DolderDepartment of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, USAPsychosomatics 46:135-41. 2005

..The results highlight the need for clinicians to monitor closely the management of medical comorbidity in patients with schizophrenia and related disorders...

Antipsychotic polypharmacy trends among Medicaid beneficiaries with schizophrenia in San Diego County, 1999-2004